The Lighting Order:

The Blessings over the Lighting:

Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light. Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days, at this time.

These lights we kindle for the miracles, for the wonders, for the salvations, and for the wars that You performed for our fathers in those days, at this time—through Your holy Kohanim. Throughout all eight days of Chanukah, these lights are holy, and we have no permission to make use of them—only to look at them—so as to give thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, for Your wonders, and for Your salvation.

Maoz Tzur—My Rock and my salvation, to You it is fitting to give praise. Establish the House of my prayer, and there we will offer a thanksgiving sacrifice. When You prepare the slaughter of the barking enemy, then I will complete, with song and psalm, the dedication of the altar. My soul was sated with troubles; my strength was consumed with grief. My life was embittered with hardship, with the bondage of the calf-kingdom. But with His great hand He brought out His treasured nation; Pharaoh’s army and all his seed went down like a stone into the depths. He brought me to His holy Sanctuary, yet even there I found no rest; an oppressor came and exiled me, for I served strangers and poured a poisonous wine—until I nearly passed away. The end of Babylon—Zerubbabel—at the end of seventy years I was saved. The Agagite, son of Hammedata, sought to cut down the lofty cypress; but it became a trap and a snare for him, and his pride was shattered. You raised up the head of my right hand, and You erased the name of the enemy; his many sons and possessions You hung upon the tree. Greeks gathered against me then, in the days of the Chashmona’im. They breached the walls of my towers and defiled all the oils. But from the remaining jars a miracle was made for the lilies. Men of understanding established eight days of song and joyous praise. Bare Your holy arm and bring near the end of salvation. Avenge the blood of Your servants from the wicked nation. For the hour has grown long for us, and there is no end to the days of evil. Push away the “Red One” in the shadow of darkness; raise up for us the Shepherd of seven.

A Psalm, a Song for the Dedication of the House, by David: I will exalt You, Hashem, for You have lifted me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. Hashem my God, I cried out to You and You healed me. Hashem, You brought my soul up from Sheol; You revived me from descending to the pit. Sing to Hashem, His devoted ones, and give thanks to the remembrance of His holiness. For His anger is but for a moment; life is in His favor. In the evening weeping may lodge, but in the morning there is song. And I said in my tranquility, “I shall never falter.” Hashem, by Your favor You established strength for my mountain; You hid Your face—I was terrified. To You, Hashem, I call, and to my Master I plead: What gain is there in my blood, in my going down to the grave? Will dust thank You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, Hashem, and be gracious to me; Hashem, be my Helper. You turned my mourning into dancing for me; You opened my sackcloth and girded me with joy—so that my glory may sing to You and not be silent. Hashem my God, forever I will thank You.

For the conductor, with stringed instruments; a psalm, a song: God, be gracious to us and bless us; shine His face with us, Selah. So that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let peoples thank You, God; let all peoples thank You. Nations will rejoice and sing, for You will judge peoples with fairness, and guide nations on earth, Selah. Let peoples thank You, God; let all peoples thank You. The earth has given its produce; God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.

Please, with the power of the greatness of Your right hand, release the bound. אב"ג ית"ץ: Accept the song of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. קר"ע שט"ן: Please, Mighty One—those who seek Your Oneness—guard them like the apple of the eye. נג"ד יכ"ש: Bless them, purify them; with the mercies of Your righteousness always repay them. בט"ר צת"ג: Powerful, Holy One—through Your abundant goodness, lead Your congregation. חק"ב טנ"ע: Unique and Exalted One—turn to Your people who remember Your holiness. יג"ל פז"ק: Accept our plea and hear our cry, Knower of hidden things. שק"ו צי"ת: In a whisper: Blessed is the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.

Sing joyfully, you righteous, in Hashem; for the upright, praise is fitting. Give thanks to Hashem with a harp; with a ten-stringed lyre sing to Him. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a joyous blast. For the word of Hashem is upright, and all His work is with faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is filled with the kindness of Hashem. By the word of Hashem the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts. He gathers the waters of the sea like a mound; He places the depths in storehouses. Let all the earth fear Hashem; let all inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke and it came to be; He commanded and it stood. Hashem frustrates the counsel of nations; He nullifies the thoughts of peoples. The counsel of Hashem stands forever; the thoughts of His heart from generation to generation. Fortunate is the nation for whom Hashem is God, the people He chose as His inheritance. From heaven Hashem looked down; He saw all the children of man. From His dwelling place He watches over all who dwell on earth. He forms their hearts together; He understands all their deeds. A king is not saved by a great army; a mighty man is not rescued by great strength. The horse is a false hope for salvation; with all its power it cannot deliver. Behold, the eye of Hashem is upon those who fear Him, upon those who hope for His kindness—to save their soul from death and to sustain them in famine. Our soul waits for Hashem; He is our help and our shield. For in Him our heart rejoices, for in His holy Name we trusted. May Your kindness, Hashem, be upon us, as we hoped for You.

To merit, when I light the fourth candle—which corresponds to King David, peace be upon him—when the two great luminaries were suspended, to draw down the Infinite lights to us, and to draw salvations from the firmament that corresponds to David

Master of the world, Almighty: Grant me merit, as I light the fourth candle, to connect to the “Head of all heads,” to the “Head that is not known,” to the roots of the lights—as it is said, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” For the fourth candle corresponds to the fourth day of Creation, when the two great luminaries were suspended—drawn from the lights of the Ein Sof—lights that continue and grow stronger until the end of all life. For on the fourth night of Chanukah, lights of the Ein Sof shine—without end and beyond all measure. We merit that the light of the Ein Sof descends upon us, endlessly and without limit. For the fourth candle, which corresponds to the two great luminaries, is drawn literally from the light of the Ein Sof—from the light of the seven days, from the “Head that is not known,” from the “female aspect of Pardashka,” from the right-side opening from which comes the רוח (spirit) of Techiyas HaMeisim. For through the fourth Chanukah candle—which corresponds to King David, peace be upon him—it is possible to revive all the dead in the world. For King David is Netzach, the fourth “leg” of the Merkavah. For at the moment when David said, “For Hashem told him, ‘Curse David,’ regarding Shimi son of Geira,” at that instant a Bas Kol went out and proclaimed: “King David is the fourth leg of the Merkavah.” Therefore there is a firmament that corresponds to King David, peace be upon him, through which it is possible to bring about all salvations in the world, including Techiyas HaMeisim.